On the Senate floor, Stephen Douglas warns of the danger of the moment and calls for compromise

01/03/1861

Senator Stephen Douglas spoke on the floor of the Senate and said that the recent election had brought the country face to face with the central issue of slavery. Without dealing directly and swiftly with the future of slavery through compromise, the United States was headed towards disunion and civil war. Saying that "blood will be shed, and war will rage before gentlemen fully appreciate the crisis through which we are passing" he called on all parties and all politicians to act on a speedy compromise to preserve peace and union. (By John Osborne)